AI Makes America's Cup Boats Even Faster

Looking at the America's Cup boats, you can't help but notice how futuristic they appear. But this year, Emirates Team New Zealand had a competitive edge, when they enlisted a new crew member to hyper-boost their boat design process: AI. The 2021 race officially began on March 10, when boats hit the water, but the real competition started three years earlier, when the new Class Rule was released. With each America's Cup, the Class Rule defines the parameters for yacht design -- and design can mean the difference between winning and losing. Once the rule is released, it becomes a race to design and build the fastest possible America's Cup boats.